Ureaplasma urealyticum in the cerebrospinal fluid of a premature infant

A premature infant, born at 28 weeks' gestation, was found to be colonized with Ureaplasma urealyticum and developed intraventricular hemorrhage and progressive hydrocephalus during the first weeks of life. The organism was isolated from the infant's cerebrospinal fluid in the absence of marked cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis, but meningitis was suspected on the basis of low glucose and high protein content. Since this organism was resistant to erythromycin by clinical criteria, the infant was treated with chloramphenicol for 20 days. Cerebrospinal fluid sterilization was demonstrated; hydrocephalus, however, was persistent and made intraventricular shunt placement necessary.